In this article, the authors offer a safe, fun, effective way to introduce geology concepts to elementary school children of all ages: "coring" layer cakes. This activity introduces the concepts and challenges that geologists face and at the same time strengthens students' inferential, observational, and problem-solving skills. It also addresses National Science Education Standards that relate to introducing the structure of the Earth system and understanding Earth's history. (Contains 3 figures and 1 resource.)